Employers should know that the non-visible aspects of Parkinson’s Disease are just as debilitating as the visible ones. Not currently working and I didn’t continue to work after my diagnosis. Ex-Navy. The support from those I served with has been stellar. The support from the Navy itself has been average. The most debilitating issues with regards to my working capacity were slowness of movement, standing/walking, handwriting, anxiety and depression, speech and communication, tremor/Dyskinesia/Dystonia. There was no particular time of the work day that I found more difficult than other times. Working from home could have been helpful to support me to stay in the workforce longer. Being in the military I needed to be deployable. A diagnosis of PD was an automatic discharge MUNS (medically unfit for naval service). No choice on disclosing young onset Parkinson’s to my employer and I agree with it. Made a claim through DVA though not yet successful for PD.

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